Riyadh Air to Sell Package Holidays to and From Saudi Arabia

As Chinese travel into the Middle East continues to increase, one of the country’s largest hotel operators sees an opportunity. While it’s not as commonly known in the West, H World is a giant in the hotel industry, with around 9,300 hotels and close to one million rooms across the world.

Good morning from Skift. It’s Friday, May 17. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.

Skift reported recently that Saudi’s Vision 2030 is too expensive for tourists: If it eventually wants 70 million international visitors, it’s going to need more supply of hotels that don’t cost thousands of dollars a day. 

Leaving a music festival outside of Austin in 2014, I remember pulling up my Uber app to book a ride back to the city—but thousands of other festival-goers around me were doing the same thing. After many failed attempts later, with no alternatives to make the nearly 20-mile journey back so late at night, I took a risk and piled into a car with a group of strangers. Thankfully, I was dropped off at my hotel safely.

Jeddah Historic District Program (JHD), under the patronage of the Saudi Ministry of Culture, and Cruise Saudi, a fully-owned Public Investment Fund company, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This agreement aligns with the ambitious development goals of Saudi Vision 2030. This partnership is strategically designed to accommodate the increasing number of international cruise visitors who enjoy exploring the authentic sites of the historic district. Central to the goals of both Jeddah Historic District Program and Cruise Saudi is preserving the area’s distinctive cultural identity and historical landmarks while stimulating local economic growth. This collaboration encourages local entrepreneurship and investment, drawing on the private sector’s innovative capacities to enhance the visitor experience. This proactive involvement aims to boost job creation, foster small businesses, and promote sustainable economic activities that benefit the entire community.

Even by Saudi standards, the goals are ambitious: By 2030, the country wants 330 million passengers to pass through its airports annually, up from around 112 million last year.

India’s newest airline, Akasa Air, made its international debut in Doha, Qatar in March — just 19 months after its launch.

Financial advisors are quick to warn prospective owners that a boat is nothing more than a hole in the water in which to throw money. When it comes to superyachts, you'd better have bags and bags of cash.

It’s an unfortunate truth that air travel has become an overall frustrating experience. With shrinking seats, crowded flights, and rising fees for services like checking a bag, it’s enough to make even the most savvy of travelers exasperated. But a select number of airlines continue to stand out from the rest, with refreshingly smooth operations and passenger-friendly cabins.

“Perception” was one of the key topics discussed by Saudi Tourism Authority CEO Fahd Hamidaddin during a roundtable discussion at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) conference in Dubai.

Saudi Arabia’s spare-no-expense cruise brand Aroya is set to launch this December, promising cigar lounges, jacuzzis, 28 dining options, 20 venues for entertainment, a retail area, and wellness and spa facilities.

Part of the and specialising in ranch holidays across the US and Canada, leading tour operator American Round-Up is thrilled to announce a fresh lineup of captivating Western adventures for 2024. The list includes Ranchlands’ new Paintrock Canyon Ranch, the stylish glamping retreat located at the base of the Big Horn Mountains in Northern Wyoming, and The True Collection’s latest Yellowstone ranch pop-up, the historic Blackwater Creek Ranch only 15 miles from the east gates of America’s first ever national park.